Explosive-engine.



PA'TENTBD OCT. 20, 1903..

W. J. WRIGHT.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED rm. 11, 1902.

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INVENTOH WITNESSES i a a'wri ha PATBNTED 001". 20, 1903.

w. J. WRIGHT. EXPLOSIVE ENGINE. APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 11, l902.

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No. 742,143; .PATENTED' 001220, 1903,"

w. J. WRIGHT.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB; 11 1902.

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' No. 742,143. I

lTED STATES ?atented October 20, 1903.

PATENT Futon.

\ WILLIAM J. WRIGHT, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OFTHREE-SIXTEENTHS TO J. W. LEE AND FRED J. GALLOWAY, OF

PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

EXPLOSIVE-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 742,143, dated October20, 1903.

Application filed February II, 1902. Serial No. 93,487. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it n'toty concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J WRIGHT, residing at Pittsburg, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new andImproved Explosive-Engine, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention seeks to provide an improved type ofexplosive-engine of a very simple andinexpensive construction in whichparts being arranged and combined, whereby as the working pistoncompletes one cycle of its movement to compress and explode a new chargeof the working agent. the pumping means will force out the explodedmixture back of the piston and at the same time blow a new charge intothat end from which the burned charge is expelled.

My invention also includes in its complete make-up a peculiar and novelconstruction of working cylinder, pump-cylinder, and cooperating pumpingand working pistons and valved feedways for joining the ends of the twocylinders, having especially for its purpose to provide for utilizingthe working piston for compressing the working-agent charge only and foruncovering and recovering the exhausts as the new charge is blown intothe working cylinder by pump action.

Again, my invention has for its object to provide in an engine of thecharacter stated a working cylinder having a valved workingagent intakeat each end, centrally-disposed exhausts, a piston adapted to uncoverand recover said exhausts, and means for feeding the new charge under alow pressure, whereby to relieve the working piston from an excessretarding force during its return or compressing movement; and in itsmore subordinate features my invention consists in certain novel detailsof construction and pecumachine.

liar combination of parts, all of which will hereinafter befullydescribed,and specifically pointed out in the appended claims,reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, in which -Figure l is aperspective view of my improved engine. Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal section of the same,taken practically on the line 2 2 ofFig. 4.. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a top plan view of the same, one end beingbroken away. Fig.5 is a crosssection taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.Fig. 6 is a plan view of the crank-shaft end of the Figs. 7 and 8 arediagrams illustrating the variable orindependent shifting of the pumpandworking pistons and means for coupling them to reciprocate in unison.

In the practical construction of my invention the same comprises asuitable base or bed frame having flanges 1 for conveniently and firmlysecuring said bed upon a. floor or other foundation, as clearly shown inFigs. 1 and 2, by reference to which it will also be seen the uppersurfaces of the two side portions 1 1" of the frame have slideways 2 2for the cross-head 3, presently again referred to,'and at the outer orrear end said frame 1 has a laterally-extended portion 1 upon which thedrive-shaft bearing e is mounted. The shaft 4 at its outer end carries afiy-wheel 5, and upon the inner end thereof is fixedly held a disk 6,having a crank or wrist pin 6*. Ifdesired, the disk 6 may be omitted andthe inner end of the shaft formed with the usual crank portion.

7 designates the working cylinder closed at both ends, the inner one,7*, of which has a suitable gland and stuffing-box 7 for the rod -8 ofthe working piston 8, and the said inner end 7 has a flange 7 forconveniently and firmly connecting with a similar flange 1 on the frontendof the frame 1. The-working cylinder 7 has the usual water or coolingjacket 7, provided in the practical arrangement of my invention with theusual water intake and offtake pipes.

9 designates the pumping-cylinder, which to provide for economy inmanufacture and convenience in assemblage of the several parts is alsodisposed in a horizontal plane and supported upon the working cylinder,as

clearly shown in the drawings. The cylinderv 9 has a feed-port 9 at eachend, and the said ports communicate with a single working-agentcollecting-chamber 10, detachably mounted on the pump-cylinder 9, andthe said ports 9 9 are normally closed by the automatically-closing(spring-held) valves 9 9 that seat within the chamber 10 and to whichaccess may be readily had by removing the cap-plates 11 11, that coverthe manholes 11 11, one overeach valve 9 (See Fig. 2.) The chamber 10has a central feed-opening 10, which connects with a mixing mechanism12, controlled by governor devices 12 of any approved construction,which serve to feed the charge into the chamber 10 proportionate to thespeed or acquired power desired for the engine, and as the said governormeans and mixing devices may be of any approved construction andform,per 56, no part of my present invention further description thereofis deemed unnecessary.

The working cylinderhas a feed-port l7 17 at each end, and centrally ithas a pair of exhausts 13 13 in close relation discharging into anofftake 13 common to both exhausts. Cooperating with each feed-port 1717 is an automatically (spring-held) valve 1st 14, to which access maybe had through the capped openings 15 15 in the ends of the twoconveying-tubes 16 16, that connect the exhausts 9 9 of thepump-cylinder, and for reasons presently explained the exhaust 16 at oneend of the cylinder 7 crosses over and communicates through the valvedport 17 at the opposite end of the working cylinder, and exhaust 16likewise crosses over and communicates with the inlet-port 17 of theworking cylinder.

So far as described my improved engine mechanism in its cooperativeaction provides for blowing out a burned charge back of the workingpiston and feeding in a new charge back of the said working piston as aprior charge is being compressed and exploded and in such manner thatthe working piston, except as presently explained, serves no otherfunction than that of compressing the charge ahead of it, as it in noway acts to draw,in a new charge behind it, as that operation iseffected by the pump. It should be stated, however, that the workingpiston, the relative sizes of said working piston, and the workingcylinder and the exhausts thereof are such that in its compressionaction in opposite directions the working piston will nucoveralternately the exhausts at predetermined times, as willpresently bemade more clear.

By referring now more particularly to Fig. 2 it will be noticed thepump-piston 18 has its rod 18 guided in a standard 19, connected to thecross-head 3 and pivotally joined, as at 18", to the upper end of themember 20 of a bell-crank lever 20, the other member 20 of which in myconstruction of engine forms males the pitman that connects thecross-head 3 with tho wrist-pin or crank member 6 of the drive-shaft,and the said lever 20 at its angle is fulcru med to the cross-head, asdesignated by 20 in Fig. 2. By thusjoining the pistonrods of the workingand pumping pistons it is manifest that the two pistons are made toreciprocate in like directions in unison, and by reason of the crossoverconnection of the ends of the two cylinders the pump-piston will bedrawing into its coacting cylinder a new charge of working agent back ofsaid pump-piston as it (the piston) is forcing a charge of working agentin front of it into the working cylinder back of the Working piston.

To more clearly illustrate the working of my engine so far as described,it is assumed that the working piston has just reached its limit of thestroke in the direction indicated by the arrow and the charge in frontis just ready to explode. When in such position, the burned mixture backof the piston being the residuum of the prior charge will have beenblown out of the exhaust 13 and the chamber back of the said workingpiston (the right-hand end of the working cylinder) filled with a newcharge of the working agent, forced therein from the left-hand end ofthe pump-cylinder by the pump-piston. At this point it should be statedthat while the pump and working pistons during the major part of theirreciprocal movements travel in unison in the same direction they alsomove diferentiallythat is, the pumping-piston has a greater length ofstroke than the working piston, and this increase of stroke of thepumping-piston is provided for by pivotally connecting it to thebell-crank pitman member 20, which in turn is fulcrumed at its angle tothe cross-head. The object in providing for this differential movementof the two pistons is to relieve the back of the working piston from atoo great retarding pressure as it begins to return to itscompressionstroke of movement and to force the'explO- sivemixture chargeinto the working cylinder with as little compression as possible, inpractice but little above atmosphere. The differential movement of thestroke of the two pistons is best explained as follows: Assuming theworking piston 8 in its movement in the direction indicated by the arrowas to have just reached the point where its rear edge 8 is beginning touncover the exhaust 13, (see dotted line a,) at this time the axialpoint of the wrist or crank pin. will be at the point indicated by I)(see diagram Fig. 7) and the rear edge of the pump-piston at the pointindicated by dotted line 0 in Fig. 2. As the crank or wrist pin 6 passesfrom the point I) to the point d, which designates the full limit of thestroke of the piston S in the direction indicated, the pump-piston willalso be moved forward. It will, however, be noticed that while theworking piston under the conditions stated is nearly to the finish ofits stroke the'pump-piston is but little more than midway the length ofits stroke, and hence has effected a very slight compression of theworking charge in front of it,and by reason thereof it is manifest thatas the piston 8 begins to uncover the exhaust 13 the slightlycompressednew charge in front of the pumppiston will be forced out through thepump-' cylinder exhaust 9, down exhaust-tube 16, through the valvedopening 15 at the inner (right-hand) end of the working cylinder, thevalve 14 opening under said pressure, and the said new charge will thenblow any of the remaining prior-exploded charge through the exhaust 13.During this action the piston 8 reaches its limit, and the piston 18slightly increases the compression of the charge-before it as it drawsin a new charge through the valved port 9" back of it. The charge infront of the piston 8 being then exploded and the said piston 8 having avery slight back orretarding pressure, it (the piston) is quickly andunder a great impelling force moved in the opposite directionand indoing so instantly recovers the exhaust 13. As thepiston Sis forced backby the explosive force in front of it and during the passing of thecrank-pin from the point 61 to the 'point e (see'Fig. 2) by reason ofthe rocking action of the lever member 20 the pump-piston will beshifted to the limit of its stroke forward to effect its greatestcompression action on the charge still in front of it, which by reasonof the then maximum force underwhich it is now expelled from thepump-cylinder will still pass by the valve-l4 in the opening 15, beforereferred to. As the crank or wrist pin passes from the point e in thedirection of the arrow, Fig. 2, the pump-piston will then move backwardwith the now backwardly-moving piston 8 to effect the same operations atthe other ends of the pump and.

working cylinders,.it being understood that in said back movement a newcharge is being drawn into the cylinder 9 through the port 9 at the leftas the prior charge back of the piston 18 under a low compression isbeing forced through the outlet 9 into the tube 16 and through thevalved port 17 at the lefthand end of the cylinder 7, it being alsounderstood that the exploded charge or residuum therein escapes throughthe exhaust 13 when piston 8 uncover-s it.

From the foregoing description,taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings,

it is thought the complete operation of my invention and its advantageswill be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

It will be observed that by reason of the correlative arrangement of theseveral parts I am enabled to assemble them in a very compact, stable,and economical manner and to make the connections between the pump andworking cylinders and the pistons such as to attain the maximumefficiency in durability and positiveness of action, and by having thepump arranged to force the new charge into the working cylinder under alow pressure a more perfect equilibrium of the parts is ac- 'quired anda maximum impelling force obtained from each charge, and by forcing thenew charge into the working cylinder in the manner stated it isvpossible to blow out the burned mixture with practically no waste ofthe new charge, thereby reducing the fuel cost for running the engine tothe maximum. One of the most advantageous features of my invention isthat I dispense with the useof cams, eccentrics, gears, trip devices,850., such as are commonly used for shifting the valve mechanism inexplosive-engines, and by reason thereof I am enabled to produce anengine of very few parts, in which very little may be varied or modifiedWithout departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In an engine of the character described, a working cylinder and thepiston. therefor, said cylinder having a valved intake at each end, anda plurality of exhausts intermediate the intakes one for each of saidintakes, a pump comprising a cylinder having a valved intake and anexhaust at each end, a feed communicating with both intakes, aconvoying-tube for each pump-cylinder exhaust, the pump-piston andmechanism for joining the pump-piston with the working piston to movethe two in unison during a part of their strokes, said mechanismincluding devices for imparting diderential movement to the pistonsduring another portion of their strokes, for the purposes specified.

2. An explosive-engine of the character described, comprisingthe'following elements in combination; a Working cylinder having avalved intake at each end, and a plurality of centrally-disposedpiston-controlled exhausts, one for each end of the cylinder, theworking piston, a pump-cylinder havinga valved intake and an exhaust ateach end, the crossed tubes 16 16, for connecting .said exhausts withthe working-cylinder intakes, the pumppiston, and means for joining thepump-piston with the working piston, whereby the two pistons will bereciprocated in unison, said means including devices for continuing thethrust of the pump-pistonin either direction as the working pistonbegins on its return movements, substantially as shown and for thepurposes described.

3. The combination with the working cylinder, its piston, and thecross-head, said cylinderhavinga valved intake at each end, and anexhaust in the center, the puinp cylinder havinga valved intake and anexhaust at each end, the pump-piston and the tubes 16 16, joining theexhausts of the pumpeylinder with the intakes of the working cylinder,and the crankshaft, of the bell-crank member 20 pivotally mounted at itsangle on the crosshead, one of its arms being pivot-ally joined with thepump-piston rod, and the other with the crank or wrist pin of thecrank-shaft, substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

4. Thehereinbefore-described improved explosiveengine, comprising, incombination; a base or bed portion, a crankshaft mounted in one endthereof, a cross-head slidalole on the bed portion, a working cylindersecured to the other end of the bed portion, and projected in a planewith the cross-head slideway, said cylinder having a valved intake ateach end, and exhausts 13 13 centrally thereof, a pump-cylinder mountedon the working cylinder, a valved intake and an exhaust in each end ofthe pump-cylinder, the tubes 16 16 extendedcrosswise of thepump-cylinder, for connecting the pump-exhausts with theWorking-cylinder intakes, an automatic feed for the pump, forming anattached part thereof, the pistons S and 18, the piston Shaving its rodS pivotally joined to the cross-head, the bell-crank member 20,pivotally connected to the cross-head, and having one arm pivotallyjoined with the rod 18 of the piston 18, and the other arm joined to thecrank or wrist pin of the crankshaft, all being arranged substantiallyas shown and described.

5. An improved explosive-engine, comprising a working cylinder andpiston, said cylinder having a valved intake at each end andcentrally-disposed exhausts, one for each end of the cylinder, means forfeeding a new working charge into the said cylinder back of the piston,as the said cylinder uncovers and recovers the exhausts, said meansincludiug a second cylinderand piston, said second' cylinder arrangedabove the working cylinder, an exhaust at each end of the said secondcylinder, the exhaust at one end of the second cylinder being connectedto the inlet of the opposite end of the working cylinder, a drive-shaft,a bell-crank lever connecting the working-cylinder piston and thesecondcylinder piston to the drive-shaft, all being arrangedsubstantially as shown and for the purposes described.

In an explosive-engine, a working cylinder and piston, said cylinderhaving a valved intake at each end and piston-controlled ex haustscentrally arranged; a second cylinder and piston arranged above theWorking cylinder, valved intakes for said second cylinder, an exhaustfor each end thereof, the exhaust ofone end of the second cylinder beingconnected to the intake at the opposite end of the Working cylinder; adrive-shaft; a bellcrank connection between said working and secondcylinder pistons and the drive-shaft whereby the pistons will move inunison through a part of their stroke and whereby they will have adifferential movement during the rest of the stroke for the purposesspecifled.

WILLIAM J. WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. FLETCHER, A. E. DIETERICII.

